


Eridium Blood

by p0pcandy



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bandit!Jack, Canon-Typical Violence, Decapitation, In a way, M/M, Minor Character Death, Miscommunication, Monsters, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rated For Violence, Rating May Change, Slow Build, Slow Burn, for now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 12:10:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18604264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/p0pcandy/pseuds/p0pcandy
Summary: Noises flood the halls of Helios, screaming, crying, alarms going off in each direction. "What the hell was that thing?!" Rhys screams over the loud noises, his head spinning as he pushes forward through the crowd, his hand tight around his friend's wrist.He doesn't get an answer from Vaughn, but at this point, an answer is the least of his worries. He's only focused on getting them out of here alive. Intact.Red lights light up the halls and gunfire blazes from the crowd, fighting breaking loose as people rush into escape pods. They needed to get into one. Rhys pulls forward again as he pushes a person out of the way.Just then, Rhys feels his grip slip from Vaughn's wrist. He looks back, already feeling the wave of people push him from his friend."Vaughn!" Rhys screams, his hand grazing over his fingers, his body getting dragged away by the manic crowd. "Vaughn!"





	Eridium Blood

**Author's Note:**

> I am so so happy to get this out finally! I've been working on this for a while, writing it, rewriting it, the works! I'm beyond excited to finally share this with everyone, and I would love feedback on what you think of the story!

Guards stand near an airlock bay, weapons aimed, faces scrunched up in fierce concentration. They keep their aim locked on the doors of the airlock bay. The group of scientists share their gaze of deep concentration, of a deep seeded fear that this could go wrong. They knew the risks of this operation.

 

New creatures had arrived on Helios, encountered by scientists down on Pandora. They were vicious, deadly, and most of all a scientific marvel. The feat to bring these creatures up to Helios was a sheer pain. The body count had outweighed the cost of transportation. It took a lot to get here, and the scientists sitting in the bright and shiny lab were itching to study.

 

“Is everything holding up steady?” The lead scientist asks, leaning over the person at the control panel. Lights flash from various small knobs and dials, lighting up the dark window in front of them.

 

“It’s holding up as it should be.” The answer is quick, almost not thought of. There wasn't much thought to put into it anyway, Helios was known for its security. This was nothing Hyperion couldn't handle.

 

“Release them!” The lead scientist shouts, a wide smile on his face as the crowd behind him cheers. This new creature, this study, it could change all their lives for the better. New weapons, new armor, new robotic life, you name it. If Hyperion wasn't already Pandora's leading company, then this would have skyrocketed them into the position.

 

The doors to the cage slowly open, the inside is dark, black. It's hard to see into the enclosure, not that many of the scientists were looking anyway. They praise one another for the success, for all the success to come. Small beeps and lights warn of the moment being cut short, but none seem to notice.

 

“Wait... there’s something wrong---” The voice is quickly cut off by the man screaming in agony as a tail breaks through the glass and impales him. This is what catches the attention of the scientists, all paralyzed with fear as the man's body slides off the creature's tail. Blood drips from the carcass, which lands on the ground with a sicking splat.

 

“Shit!” The head scientist screams, turning to the few that hadn't already started to run, “Hurry! Get this place on lockdown!” the guards are the first to react, aiming their guns as scientists run in every direction.

 

“You idiots! Someone lock this pla--” a gurgle comes from the head scientist as he's taken to the ground in a pool of his own blood, by a second, unseen creature.

 

“Shoot them!!  _ Shoot them _ !!”

 

* * *

 

 

 

“So, have you figured out what to do about Vasquez totally screwing you over yet?" Vaughn's voice was chipper as he set down a Styrofoam coffee cup next to Rhys. His friend looks up to him, a frown drawn into his features and rubbing his temple.

 

The two had been planning their revenge on Vasquez since the day that asshole snatched Rhys’ new position right from underneath him. Vaughn, Yvette, Rhys, they could have had it all! Then Vasquez had to rear his ugly head, air locking the guy Rhys had been kissing up to for months. Vaughn had suggested espionage; Rhys was hoping for an "accident". Eventually, they went with Vaughn's idea.

 

Rhys grabs for the cup, his eyebrow twitching in anger as he looks over articles. Hours and hours of looking through articles praising Vasquez for his "work". The only thing keeping Rhys sane reading these was imagining Vasquez' greasy little hands writing all these himself. Rhys' frown only deepens as he switches to Vasquez' records instead. He's hoping there's at least something in there that is incriminating enough to give him a push out of his office... Into an airlock perhaps... Rhys can only dream.

 

"Not yet...but I'm looking into some of his public records, got to tell ya...not good." Rhys takes a gulp of the coffee, rearing his head back as he swallows, letting out a pained noise.

 

"It's hot," Vaughn warns like an afterthought as he moves behind Rhys.

 

"Thanks, Vaughn," Rhys says with a stressed voice as he places the coffee cup away from him to let it cool. He wasn't going to make that mistake again. He starts to scroll past small charges, "mishandling" this "harassment" that. Nothing caught Rhys' eye.

 

"What's on the documents?" Vaughn sits beside Rhys, looking at the display on his robotic arm with him. The documents seem to go on forever, but nothing of substance. Most of them just complaints from HR, but who in this station ever gave a rat's ass about that?

 

Still, the harassment charges weren't something to bat an eye at, but Rhys wanted the juicy bits. If Hyperion didn't care that Vasquez harassed other employees back then, then they wouldn't now.

 

"Nothing," Rhys mumbles, swiping away some documents. “Just some harassment charges.”

 

“That's it?”

 

“Unfortunately,” Rhys looks to his friend as he gives a frustrated sigh. “If they didn't care back then, then it's not going to work as evidence now.”

 

“Maybe I could check his bank records? Or withdrawals?” Vaughn offers, and his friend gives him a confused look before shaking his head.

 

“Knock yourself out, tell me if there's anything good.” Rhys continues to scroll through uninteresting documents. He lulls his head to the side as he reaches for the styrofoam cup and tests the drink on his lips.

 

Vaughn lets out a whistle, turning his body towards Rhys as he shuts down his glasses, “You don't think Vasquez would buy a ten-thousand-dollar car, do you?”

 

“Please,” Rhys puffs, “We were on the same salary, even with a week on that job he wouldn't have that kind of money.” Rhys pauses and looks to his best friend, “Wait, why?”

 

“Well...You're going to want to look at this." Vaughn sends Rhys some data, and as soon as he does Rhys is searching for anything that could be related. His eyes run up and down Vasquez’ history, and what do you know.

 

“ _ A vault key _ ?” Vaughn whispers, shock lacing every word.

 

“Can you imagine that…” Rhys mumbles, flipping through what he can find, and where exactly Vasquez’ next trip was. He leans over to show his friend, “I think we need to pack our bags for Pandora my good fr---”

 

A loud screech echoes through the hub, it doesn't sound human, it's mechanical as if someone had dragged a loaderbot across the metal floors of Helios. The sound freezes everyone in their tracks, eyes search for what had caused it, all frantic, nervous. Then the ground wobbles, shaking and pushing everyone as the planet outside seems to halt.

 

"What was that?" Rhys asks as a few whispers from other employees start to pop up. Questions of who or why, what and how. Vaughn slowly stands beside his friend, looking over the crowd with a frightened expression. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his mouth pulled into a deep frown.

 

The confusion was mass. People talked back and forth about what had happened and if the orbit outside had stopped. Rhys stands as well, looking over the confused people, then to the planet out the window. It was still, unmoving, or was Helios the one that had stopped?

 

The answer makes itself clear as the lights start to flicker, sections of the room losing its light completely. “Rhys, what’s happening?” Vaughn’s voice shakes. As quick as a light breaks a few feet away from them, Rhys is looking up anything he can about this incident.

 

_ Nothing _ .

 

“How the hell could there be nothing?!” Rhys hisses, flipping his hand around as the hologram from his palm disappears. Nothing. Nothing on why the orbit had stopped, why the lights had broken. Nothing.

 

“What do we do?” Vaughn’s voice is getting shakier by the second, his voice higher in pitch than usual. A few lights pop, glass shattering to the ground in small sparkling clouds. “Rhys, what do we do?!” The room is now pitch black, and Vaughn’s not the only one panicking as the room fills with nervous chatter.

 

Rhys reaches for his friend, but with the low light, it’s hard to see exactly where Vaughn is. “Don’t worry, I’m sure everything’s fine,” Rhys says, even though he’s more than unsure himself. This wasn't something that happened every day, and the lack of information on the topic made the situation that more stressful.

 

“Please remain calm,” a woman’s voice speaks from the loudspeaker, her voice sounding strained and panicked. The next words she speaks are crackle through the PA system, “The situation is mild, and being taken care of as we speak. We urge everyone to head to proper shelter.” the PA crackles and breaks up as she continues to relay directions.

 

The hand Rhys was using to search for Vaughn finally grabs onto his shoulder, pulling him along with him. Red flashing lights had come on, finally giving some light to the black as night hub. Guards walk in, guns ready and barking orders at the employees scurrying around like mice.

 

Rhys pulls Vaughn beside him, as loud glass breaking noise seems to make the world pause. The employees all look to the glass leading to Elpis, but it's intact. Worried questions start to rise up at the guards, even though they stay completely silent. Their silence only makes people ask more, worried voices turning into panicked demands.

 

Rhys turns to the nearest guard, ready to hound him for answers when a crash and a broken scream comes over the PA. That was the final straw for most of them, employees started to run. Rhys? Well, Rhys turned back to the guard.

 

He wanted answers immediately. He wanted to know what was happening, He was going to get the answers. Their silence was ridiculous. Vaughn tugs at his arm, and he can feel his voice getting more and more sore as he screams at the guard.

 

The guard steps back, telling Rhys off, and when Rhys goes pale and silent, he barely has any time to react or turn around.

 

For Rhys, the room goes in torturous slow motion. The guards head flies, blood pouring from the clean wound up into a fountain. The man didn't even have time to let out a scream. The body just croaks as it falls to its knees. Blood splashes onto every nearby surface, covering Rhys’ front of his own body.

 

Rhys holds his breath and the bile rising in his throat as he stares down the creature that had ripped a head off.  _ Like it was nothing _ . The creature crawls to the body that had dropped onto the floor, leaning its head down and feasting on its kill. It starts to rip and gnaw at the flesh sticking out from the armor, sickening crunches fill Rhys' ears.

 

It lifts its head, its yellow glowing eyes meeting with Rhys’ own. Rhys feels frozen, he wants to scream, he wants to run. All he can do is stare in disbelief.

 

The creature steps on the body, pushing its limb into the carcass, causing more blood to gush onto the floor. Keeping eye contact with Rhys, it's jaw splits open and a deafening screech bursts from his mouth.

 

Rhys doesn't remember how he started running, only that his body remained on autopilot as Vaughn pulled him along the halls. His breath becomes rapid as soon as he realizes what had just happened. What he had witnessed. What he was covered in.

 

He begins to run, getting ahead of Vaughn and pulling his friend along instead. Tears prick at his eyes as he runs, heading straight for where the two could be safe. Escape pods. The only escape for them now was Escape pods.

 

Noises flood the halls of Helios, screaming, crying, alarms going off in each direction. "What the hell was that thing?!" Rhys screams over the loud noises, his head spinning as he pushes forward through the crowd, his hand tight around his friend's wrist.

 

He doesn't get an answer from Vaughn, but at this point, an answer is the least of his worries. He's only focused on getting them out of here alive. Intact.

 

Red lights light up the halls and gunfire blazes from the crowd, fighting breaking loose as people rush into escape pods. They needed to get into one. Rhys pulls forward again as he pushes a person out of the way.

 

Just then, Rhys feels his grip slip from Vaughn's wrist. He looks back, already feeling the wave of people push him from his friend.

 

"Vaughn!" Rhys screams, his hand grazing over his fingers, his body getting dragged away by the manic crowd. "Vaughn!"

 

“Don't worry! I’m right behind you Rhys!" Vaughn's voice was barely audible over all the noise. "Keep going!"

 

Rhys doesn't question it, he doesn't hesitate. He keeps running, his heart pumping loud and fast in his ears as he tries to get a bearing on his surroundings. People push and shove, squeezing into life pods and some killing for others. Rhys can feel his death approaching, he can feel it breathing on his neck.

 

He's tossed around like a ragdoll, as are other smaller and weaker employees. His eyes search for a green light, the fog from the tears making it even harder to see. The rush of people feels like a wave, and no matter what Rhys tries he’s swept away or trampled.

 

Although it doesn't take long for him to find an escape pod, one that people overlooked for its yellow light. Most people wanted to make it out of here safe, intact, without a scratch on their bodies.

 

Rhys just wanted to make it out of here alive.

 

He pushes himself into it, pulling hard on the busted door until his robotic arm forces it closed. He looks out at the people realizing the opportunity they missed, banging on the door, slamming themselves against it, screaming at him.

 

Rhys reaches out and slams his hand against the, thankfully, working eject button. With that the escape pod bursts off the space station. He sucks in a deep breath, his wide and terrified eyes watching the people run from the door. Panic ensues on as a creature scurries behind the panicking crowd.

 

He was free, he was safe, and most importantly he was alive. Rhys closes his eyes and leans into the chair, rubbing his face as the chair begins to turn. He had nothing to worry about. His eyes open gently as he rubs his hands down his face to his chin.

 

Honestly, he never thought he'd see the day where he considered Pandora a safer place. Yet here he is, thankful he’s going to the ravenous planet instead of his own home.

 

He traces his eyes over the command console, and eventually back to space. He tries to calm himself down, but a loud explosion tears his head from safety to panic once more. His eyes scourer the outside of the escape pod, but he's not able to see the piece of metal racing towards him.

 

He doesn't know it's there until it hits. He doesn’t know the life pod is losing all functions until it shakes and rolls, alarms blaring in his ears. Most of all, he doesn't know that he's going to be hit by a panel that had come loose until it's too late.   
  


* * *

 

 

Jack weasels his way out of the busted door to a bandit house he had recently vacated. He takes in a deep breath as he steps out into the harsh Pandoran sun. The heat beats down, burning through his clothes onto his skin. He hates to say that he's gotten used to this by this point. He hates to say he's been on Pandora for that long.

 

Jack pulls up the cloth around his face further, looking to the blue sky. Helios sat by Eplis, taunting him with his past. His eyes spot a black spot manifesting and growing larger coming from the glow of Elpis. Quickly he turns his eyes away, rubbing them with the back of his hand.

 

When he looks back, he realizes what it is. A shuttle flies with unprecedented speed, making its way towards him. His first thought is a drawn-out "finally." His second an "oh shit". The shuttle races just above Jack's head. It almost knocks the man off his feet as he shields his face from the copious amount of dust being kicked up into it. It flies right behind him and with an ear-bursting boom, it lands.

 

He lifts his head and lowers his arms as he looks back to the wreck. First, he thinks  _ maybe it was a supply drop _ ? But then, for  _ who _ ? He jumps from the platform on the bandit home and makes his way towards it, ready for anything.

 

If it was a supply drop, then his company finally got some fucking brains and decided to help him out. Or it was a moonshot. Didn't hurt Jack's feelings too much to know his ex-company might want him dead.

 

It’s a good forty feet from the house, and when Jack reaches it his eyes are quick to scan over the metal work. It would do good for traders and salvage, and it definitely wasn't a supply drop. His eyes glance over the smoke rising from it right before he goes back to searching it. He'd have to wait for the salvage, seeing as this thing was close to combustion.

 

He hums to himself as he rounds the back, looking into the glass. A man lays inside, blood dripping from his head, a few cuts through his clothing and skin, and dried blood caking his whole upper half. "Poor sod," Jack remarks apathetically, getting closer to the glass.

 

Jack's eyes go wide as he recognizes the logo on the man's suit. With this realization, he turns his head to the sky. Turns out there's no such thing as daytime meteor showers. Shuttles rain to Pandora; explosions filling the sky where escape pods crash into each other.

 

“What the hell?!" Jack hisses, trying to hold in his anger. Who knew who could be watching him out here. He turns back to the body, only to see its chest slowly rise and fall. Jack leans forward, watching the man for a second. If he was still alive, he could tell Jack why the hell Helios looks like the Titanic. With a growl, he takes the butt of his pistol and slams it onto the button.

 

Reaching in he pulls the man forward, his lanky appearance hindering Jack for a second as he tries to pull him out. As soon as the man is on his shoulders, he makes his way back to the bandit home. He was going to get answers. He was going to save this lanky fucker just to get them.

 

Did he honestly have a choice?

 

_ Hyperion needed its king back _ .


End file.
